Budget Proposal

With all of the talk of the schools budgets in the state of Michigan many people have been wondering what are schools proposing to cut. Ann Arbor schools has recently been in the news because they have proposed to cut busing for H.S. students. Take a look below and see what Manchester is proposing to cut. No official decisions have been made on any of these items but they are all on the table for possibilities. Share this information with community members and legislative members and tell them to support the future of our state.

Manchester Budget Proposal

Manchester Schools Cuts

Read about the discussion of the education cuts and how they could impact the students in our district.The article is a summary of the most recent Manchester Schools board meeting.

Manchester Enterprise

Slight Improvement

A sign of a very slight improvement was announced today. Read the article below for details about some slight improvements to the budget issue. We still need people to contact their representatives and tell them that schools need adequate funding! Make your voice heard and let the state of Michigan representatives know that the money set aside for public schools education should be used for education.

Annarbor.com article

Judge Calls 3% School Pay Cut Unconstitutional

Article Copied From: WLNS
A judge has rules that a state law taking 3% of public school salaries to help pay for health care is unconstitutional.

In three separate cases, school employees challenged a 2010 law that took 3% of the salary of current school employees to help pay for health care benefits for retirees.

Former Circuit Court Judge James Giddings ruled that the law violated the state and federal constitutions because it took their property (their salaries) without due process of law - and that they were paying for health care they might never receive.

Since there's no guarantee that current and retired teachers will get that health care, Giddings called the law "arbitrary and unreasonable."

Teacher groups were quick to celebrate.

"We were gratified to see that the judge completely concurred with our argument in finding this action by the Legislature ‘quintessentially arbitrary and unreasonable,'" said David Hecker, the president of American Federation of Teachers Michigan in press release. "Current employees should not have to pay this assessment without any assurance that they will receive health care when they retire."

"We're pleased to see this decision come down on the side of public school employees and their families," said Michigan Education Association President Iris Salters in another release. "We would be disappointed if the state chooses to appeal this ruling, but if they do, we will continue to fight not only this case, but all attacks on public education, school employees, students and the middle class at large."

Giddings rejected arguments by the Michigan's Attorney General calling the harm to school employees "hypothetical" - since they had yet to retire.

A spokeswoman for Attorney General Bill Schuette tells The Associated Press that a decision hasn't been made on whether to appeal Giddings' ruling.

Another judge in February ruled unconstitutional a similar 3 percent salary provision for state employees.

Friendly Reminder

This is just a friendly reminder that when communicating with fellow teachers about non work issues such as union issues, state budgets etc. that you should use your home e-mail account and home personal computer. A few stories have been running in the news the last couple days about groups submitting FOIA requests for schools e-mails. When writing e-mails using school computers, e-mail accounts, and time always remember to write as if the e-mail would be read on the evening news for the whole world to hear.

This is a big grey area and some schools have co operated and others have tried to fight the FOIA. It is better to be safe then sorry. For more information on the happenings check out the articles below.

Detroit Free Press Article
Lansing State Journal

Update From Mea

March 24 - Lawmakers recessed today for two weeks without voting on measures that would infringe on collective bargaining and local control. The Legislature returns to session April 12.

At that time, the Senate could vote on House Bill 4152, a bill to freeze wages and benefits when a collective bargaining agreement expires until a new contract takes effect. This would effectively eliminate step raises between contracts and require employees to pay any increased costs of maintaining health insurance and other benefits. The legislation would also prohibit any retroactive increase in wages or benefits after a new contract is signed. MEA opposes this bill -- please contact your state senator NOW and urge him/her to vote NO on House Bill 4152.

And in the House, House Bill 4059, which would prohibit public employers from paying union officials for time conducting union business, is still pending. MEA opposes this bill, too. Please contact your state representative and ask him/her to vote NO on House Bill 4059.

While lawmakers are back home, it's a good time to set up meetings with them or to attend constituent events they have planned in the district. Take time to reach out to your elected leaders -- it's important that they hear from you!

Talking Points

Follow the links below to use the following talking points when contacting legislative members.
Also you will find links that will help you find contact information for your representative. If you wish to add talking points to the talking point document you can do that. You do not need a G-mail account to edit the document. Remember that anyone with the link to the document can edit, read, and make revisions.

Talking Points Document

Michigan House of Representatives Search

Michigan State Senate